LANGKAWI, 10 February 2024 – The Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) together with Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), government agencies and Langkawi tourism industry players welcomed the inaugural flight of Flydubai from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Langkawi, Malaysia. Flydubai has recently added to the list of scheduled flights arriving in Langkawi, resulting in 185 weekly flights.

The Flydubai flight departs from Dubai International Airport Terminal 2 (DXB), UAE to Langkawi International Airport (LGK) with a one-hour stopover at Penang International Airport (PEN). Flydubai uses Boeing 737 MAX for daily flights to Malaysia.

“The opening of this route will bring economic benefits to the people of Langkawi with the arrival of tourists from West Asia, Europe, Africa and others regions. The newly launched Flydubai route will provide passengers with a comfortable and seamless flight experience from more than 120 destinations to Langkawi, Malaysia, via Dubai, UAE, as the aviation hub. This new route is anticipated to help boost Langkawi’s burgeoning tourism sector and significantly contribute to the region’s economic growth” said Datuk Haslina Binti Abdul Hamid, Chief Executive Officer of LADA.

LADA has implemented a Charter Flight Incentive Program to encourage more airlines to commence operations to the island. This program has been identified as one of the critical success factors for airlines operating to the island. The flight incentive program was one of the initiatives proposed in the Langkawi Tourism Blueprint.

“In 2024, we are introducing a new incentive called the “Maiden Flight Incentive” to encourage more airlines to start scheduled flights to Langkawi. The incentive offers to any new airline that begins a new route to Langkawi and maintains the scheduled flight for at least one year. This will increase the accessibility to this beautiful tourist island and create more opportunities for travellers to explore this picturesque destination,’” said Datuk Haslina Binti Abdul Hamid, Chief Executive Officer of LADA.

LADA is confident that the incentives for both scheduled and charter flights will increase number of tourists to Langkawi by air, raising the estimated number of tourists up to 3 million this year.

LADA urges that all stakeholders, particularly those in the tourism industry, including the community, will assume responsibility for enhancing the quality of services and promoting tourism on the island in collaboration with the Federal and State Governments. We believe that through collective efforts and effective partnerships, we can create a thriving tourism environment in Langkawi, elevating it to a top destination for travellers worldwide.

LADA has been engaging with Flydubai in discussion since 2019, even before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2022, Flydubai intended to initiate scheduled flights to Langkawi. In response, LADA provided information about flight incentives that benefit both parties.

On 21st September 2023, Flydubai announced the launch of scheduled direct flights to Langkawi. The meeting between the Flydubai and LADA continued during the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, United Kingdom, both parties continued the discussion to ensure a smooth strategic cooperation in implementing the promotional and marketing program, to provide a seamless travel experience to passengers.

Additional information:

The Flydubai flight schedule to Langkawi is as follows:

Flight Number Departure Airport Arrival Airport Depature Time* Arrival Time*
FZ1603 DXB PEN 04:10 15:05
FZ1603 PEN LGK 16:05 16:45
FZ1604 LGK PEN 19:45 20:45
FZ1604 PEN DXB 21:45 01:05
*Local Time

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Langkawi Development Authority (LADA)
9th February 2024
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For more information regarding this statement/media release, please contact the Corporate Communication Unit of LADA at +604-9600626.
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ABOUT LANGKAWI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (LADA)

The Federal Government established Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) to plan, encourage and implement development on Langkawi Island. LADA was officially established on 15 March 1990 under the Langkawi Development Board Act 1990 (Act 423) and placed under the Ministry of Finance.

Vision:
To be the leading agency for developing Langkawi as a world-class tourism destination.

Mission:
To mobilise the development of Langkawi’s tourism industry that benefits the community, the state and the country through strategic planning and effective governance.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: ROUTES ASIA 2024

For the first time, Langkawi has been selected as the host for the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions (MICE) event, namely Routes Asia 2024, which is scheduled to take place from 27 to 29 February 2024 at Mahsuri International Exhibition Center (MIEC). This event is significant, as it offers a unique opportunity for Langkawi to showcase its potential as a prominent tourist destination on the global tourism map. LADA believes this event will positively impact Langkawi’s economy and contribute to its growth and development.

LADA and its strategic partners Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) and Tourism Malaysia have successfully bid for Informa Markets, the organizer of Routes Asia, to choose Langkawi as the venue for the leading MICE event.

The primary objective of the MICE event is to boost the growth of air services in the Asia Pacific region. Routes Asia, being the only MICE event focused on flight route development, serves as a platform for airlines, tourism authorities, government agencies and other aviation-related entities in the region to meet, share ideas and discuss strategies related to the development of aviation service networks. The event is expected to attract around 1,000 delegates and host roughly 3,000 appointments.

With its stunning natural beauty and world-class facilities, Langkawi is ideal for organizing MICE events.

Routes Asia is the most extensive and significant Business to Business (B2B) event in Asia Pacific. It brings together all airlines, airports, tourism authorities and top aviation industry influencers across Asia. This event is exclusively dedicated to the development of airlines in the Asia Pacific region. It offers an opportunity for the Asian region to expand its airline network and explore prospects for developing new flight routes to specific destinations.

In 2020, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) invited LADA to participate in Routes Asia, aimed at fostering valuable networking opportunities with airlines seeking to expand the international flight network to Langkawi. LADA is pleased to have been given the opportunity to participate in the program, in line with LADA’s commitment to promoting Langkawi as a world-class tourist destination.

After being postponed for almost 2 years, the Routes Asia event was held on 6th to 8th June 2022 in Da Nang, Vietnam and 14th to 16th February 2023 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Langkawi has been announced as the host for Routes Asia in 2024; The collaboration between MAHB, LADA and Tourism Malaysia is an excellent testament.

LADA’s role in ensuring the success of this event:

i. Host venue of the event
Routes Asia 2024 will be organized at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Center (MIEC).

ii. Sponsoring Activities/programs:
• Welcome Dinner
• Pre-tour (product update)